Broken breaths echoed again and again in the thick darkness.
There were no goblin sounds anymore.
No screams.
Only heavy breathing… and a dull pain that felt like it was slowly eating their flesh.
Kai dragged himself across the wet ground. Every step felt wrong, like his body was fighting him.
"I'm so tired…" he gasped. "And the pain…"
Mike followed behind him, his back bent. Every time he stopped, he leaned forward and held his knees.
"Same…" Mike said weakly. "My legs…they don't even feel like they're mine anymore…"
Duke walked slightly ahead, forcing himself to keep moving. His voice was rough from exhaustion.
"Keep going… just a little more… it's… almost over…"
None of them knew if that was true.
But they needed something—anything—to keep going.
Time passed slowly. Too slowly.
The last weak light of the sun disappeared, swallowed by the cold, dark night. The forest became silent in a way that felt unnatural, as if every living thing was holding its breath… watching them.
Kai looked up at the dark sky.
"It…night… already…"
Duke stopped and searched through the small bag at his side. After a moment, he pulled out a few small mushrooms. They looked dirty and unappealing.
"I found these while looking for you," he said. "They should… be safe."
Kai stared at them, unsure.
"Are you sure we can eat those?"
Mike didn't answer. He reached out, grabbed one, blew off some dirt, and shoved it straight into his mouth, chewing quickly.
"Don't be picky… food is food…"
Duke and Kai exchanged a glance.
After a few seconds, they each took one and slowly ate.
Kai chewed, then frowned.
"Pretty tasteless…"
"Doesn't matter," Duke said. "We're alive."
No one laughed.
No one had the strength to.
Then suddenly….
A sound tore through the silence.
"TUUUUUU"
A long horn echoed through the forest, coming from every direction.
Kai froze.
"What… was that…?"
A familiar, cold voice spoke from nowhere.
"Attention. The test has officially ended. Please remain where you are and wait."
Duke went still—then let out a weak, broken laugh.
"It's over… it's really over…"
Mike dropped to the ground.
"We're… alive…"
Kai opened his mouth.
"We made it…"
Before he could finish…
The space around them twisted.
A powerful force pulled all three of them off the ground.
A flash of light.
When Kai opened his eyes again, he was lying on the cold stone ground of the school courtyard.
The forest was gone.
No mud. No blood-stained trees.
Everything looked like it did three days ago.
But it wasn't the same.
Hundreds of people stood scattered around.
Far fewer than before.
Whispers rose immediately.
"Was it easy?"
"How many did you kill?"
"Look at them…"
"What happened to those three?"
"That's disgusting…"
Kai tried to push himself up, but his arm gave out. He collapsed again. Blood was still slowly dripping from his wound.
"Duke… Mike…" he breathed. "We… really made it…"
Sopharie stepped forward from the crowd.
She looked completely unharmed. Calm. Clean.
"Congratulations, young heroes," she said smoothly. "You have successfully passed the test."
Kai, Duke, and Mike forced themselves to stand and slowly walked toward her. Eyes followed them from every direction.
"Hey, look at them."
"They're covered in blood…"
"They look like monsters…"
Kai stopped in front of her. His whole body was shaking—he didn't know if it was from pain, exhaustion, or anger.
"You…" he said, his voice low. "You murderer!!…"
Sopharie tilted her head slightly, as if confused.
"A murderer?" she repeated.
Duke clenched his teeth.
"What else would you call it!?" he snapped. "You sent everyone here to die!"
Sopharie frowned faintly, but her voice stayed calm…cold, even.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," she said. "Are you really saying… those small goblins could kill people?"
Mike stepped forward, his voice shaking with anger.
"Stop pretending!" he shouted. "Look around you! So many people are gone! Why do you think that is!? They're dead!"
A few students stepped forward from the crowd.
"It's true! I saw it! The goblins tore people apart!"
"Some of my friends… they…"
"Lies!" A voice suddenly cut through the noise.
Kai, Duke, and Mike all turned.
"What…?"
More voices followed—calm, almost cold.
"Those goblins were weak."
"They could barely even run."
"You're just weak, that's all."
Kai's hands tightened into fists.
"…Bastards… are they insane…?"
He looked at their faces.
Clean. Untouched.
People who had never seen bodies torn apart in that forest.
"You… piece of shit…"
The entire courtyard split into two sides.
Voices clashed. The scene became chaotic.
Then…
A voice whispered inside Kai's head.
Cold. Quiet.
"No one will stand with you."
Kai flinched and turned sharply.
Sopharie was looking straight at him.
Her eyes were empty.
No hatred.
No sympathy.
Only a chilling coldness…
Like she was looking at nothing more than an disgraced things… that had survived when it shouldn't have.